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Original poster

Will will be able to try on shoes when the shops open?

31 replies

Judyisapunkrocker · 10/04/2021 12:10

I need to buy new trainers for school. As I imagine they’ll be fairly expensive I’d quite like my child to try them on first and also for the sake of comfort and fit. We weren’t allowed to try on school shoes at the supermarket (I didn’t know this and child was just about to try one on when we got pounced upon and told off). Does anyone know what the rules will be on the 12th please?

OP posts:
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 10/04/2021 12:13

I need to buy sunglasses, so same question!

rainbowthoughts · 10/04/2021 12:13

You were allowed to try shoes on in the summer when shops were open. I have tried on loads of she's in Tesco over the past few months as well.

rainbowthoughts · 10/04/2021 12:14

Of course you can order online and return

FudgeFlake · 10/04/2021 12:16

I needed to get new walking boots a few weeks ago (England) and was able to try them on in a country store. One of the staff even put out a kick stool for me to sit on while I did it.

They're really good boots btw!

Lemons1571 · 10/04/2021 12:18

@rainbowthoughts

Of course you can order online and return
That’s impossible for a child with wide or narrow feet. I’d have to order about 6 pairs per child in different sizes/styles to try and get lucky that one pair fits. Times by three children. Who can afford Clark’s prices for a speculative purchase of 18 pairs of shoes in various styles and sizes? At £40 a pair that would be eye watering!!
rainbowthoughts · 10/04/2021 12:20

That’s impossible for a child with wide or narrow feet

Well it's not impossible, it's a pain in the arse, it an option all the same.

Lemons1571 · 10/04/2021 12:21

There’s a pair of trainers I really like in Sainsbury’s. Popular style and colour. But a huge notice saying trying them on is not allowed, and a staff member permanently faffing about with a trolley nearby, presumably to enforce the notice. There are still plenty of trainers left hanging on the rail as I guess no one wants to spend money on just guessing whether they will fit.

Lemons1571 · 10/04/2021 12:22

@rainbowthoughts can you imagine though! Nearly £800 on guesswork, plus all the postage costs to return the 15 pairs you don’t want.

Dementedswan · 10/04/2021 12:23

Clarks fitter my dc when they were open. They allowednyou to book appointments on line. I guess they will have same systems in place.

hellomom · 10/04/2021 12:30

None of the stores near me allowed trying it on. Only Clark's allowed it for my children with their socks on.
I still tried my shoes on before buying. As there's no way am buying few pairs and then wait for a refund to come back in and not to mention have to go back and return it. The faff.

BogRollBOGOF · 10/04/2021 13:15

No try, no buy.

I'm not pissing about blind buying items with an very high risk of not fitting, and going through the time wasting and expense of returning.

The major advanrage of physical shops over online is you can touch and try and get it right in store before buying. If they don't offer that basic service, then they don't deserve customers.

Vanillaradio · 10/04/2021 13:37

Ds was able to try on shoes at Clark and M and S last time shops were open and has at Asda recently. Will depend on the shop I guess. But yes, also won't be buying for him without trying, ds is like me and has small fat feet so shoes have a tendency to be too narrow and rub!

LucilleTheVampireBat · 10/04/2021 13:39

@rainbowthoughts

You were allowed to try shoes on in the summer when shops were open. I have tried on loads of she's in Tesco over the past few months as well.
Really? I tried to buy a pair of new jeans in summer and neither Dorothy Perkins, New Look or River Island would let me try anything on. The staff at DPs suggested I buy the jeans, take them to the nearest public toilet and try them on there. Because that's more "covid safe".
ChocOrange1 · 10/04/2021 13:39

@rainbowthoughts

Of course you can order online and return
Only if you can afford to pay for 4 different pairs in different sizes to try them all on. Or wait for weeks while you order a pair, try them on, send them back, order a pair, try them on, send them back...
UserTwice · 10/04/2021 13:47

you were generally allowed to try on shoes but not clothes prior to shops shutting.

I thought the problem about trying on clothes was more related to changing rooms which were close together and shops not having sufficient capacity for cleaning. Our local school uniform shop opened up just one changing cublicle last summer (which meant lots of people didn't bother as queues) and cleaning between people.

Circumlocutious · 10/04/2021 13:59

I remember a posting complaining about not being able to quickly try on a coat, and being met with derisive responses that suggested she should spend hundreds of pounds buying coats in different colours and sizes, then back to return them all. Absurd.

The quarantining of clothes by shops has to go. Buy something, assume it’s been handled by multiple people, quarantine it yourself if you’re so inclined.

HolmeH · 10/04/2021 14:21

We could def try shoes on in Clarks before this lockdown. I took my daughter twice & tried on several pairs.. hopefully it’ll be the same. Potentially an independent shoe shop might be better if not, they’ll be quieter, less footfall & far more inclined to want to give you a good fit. We’ve got a couple in our town which is handy but I imagine that’s probably rare!

ChocOrange1 · 10/04/2021 14:31

I've just booked an appointment at my local Clarks, so yes you can

MRex · 10/04/2021 14:39

Perhaps shops that are concerned about the contagion from trying on shoes could put up a sign advising customers to clean any new shoes before licking them. You'd be more likely to get athlete's foot FFS, and nobody ever sees that as a risk.

I'm very hopeful of being able to take DS to try on some shoes soon and I'll be buying only from wherever offers a fitting service.

Ahbahbahbah · 10/04/2021 14:43

Our local shop says you can try on, but then if you don’t buy the shoes will be in quarantine for 72 hours, so they really encourage you only to try on shoes you’re pretty confident about.

Daisy829 · 10/04/2021 14:49

I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that shops will be allowed to open fitting rooms this time in which case I guess shoes will be fine to try on.

LivinLaVidaLoki · 10/04/2021 17:48

I hope so OP. We need to get ds new football boots....

I can't wait til we can get make up samples again. Last year my powder foundation and concealer were discontinued. Because the shades hardly resemble the colour swatches I was landed with loads of make up I can't use last year.

LivinLaVidaLoki · 10/04/2021 17:50

@Circumlocutious
The quarantining of clothes by shops has to go. Buy something, assume it’s been handled by multiple people, quarantine it yourself if you’re so inclined
Abso-fucking-lutely

Katie517 · 10/04/2021 20:40

It’s funny that clothes and shoe shops are quarantining items that people have touched but in supermarkets it’s been a free for all of people grabbing items and putting them back since the beginning of all this yet people don’t seem to be dropping dead in the isles. We need to stop these pointless rules!

Neonprint · 10/04/2021 20:45

I doubt it will be allowed straight away. In sainsburys they have loads of signs saying not trying and have done throughout.

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